Pilsner as an ale?

First post by nu_brew, 12 years ago

First post

---

Not sure where to post this question, but maybe someone can move it if need be.

My mate has asked me to brew her some beer now that I'm a big bad AG brewer. So of course I say sure what do like? :idiot:

Pilsner! :shock:

So without a fridge or fermentation chamber I'm wondering has anyone done a pils with an ale yeast? I know it's strictly not a pils but maybe a pseudo-pils.

Or can I somehow lager without a fridge.
Maybe a bucket of ice? Overwinter in the shed (Melbourne)?

Cheers for the...

Last post

---

I definitely need a bigger fridge (and some more patience) if I'm going to lager anything!

The Kolsch I pitched on Tuesday is fermenting away at 14c so hopefully that will get it to a 'crispy' finish, I pitched a smack pack of Wyeast 2565 for the record.

I wasn't planning on lagering the kolsch but now I might try to leave some aside and see how it goes in a few months.(9 months :nup:)

Brew music

First post by Adman1966, 12 years ago

First post

---

It's 7.30 on a Saturday morning and I'm starting to brew. The house is quiet, the kids and SWMBO are asleep and I'm in my brewery (shed). :thumbs: Currently I'm mashing and selecting the music for brewday. :think:

It got me thinking what other brewers listen to whilst brewing. Being an aging hippy I will be listening to some old Pink Floyd first and then raise the tempo during the boil.

What do you listen to?

Last post

---

Love to play a bit of Tankard when I'm brewing. It helps me to clear the house - the rest of the family cannot stand thrash metal. I normally start my brewday with Ugly, Fat and Still Alive :champ: and end it with Die with a beer in your hand :shoot:

BeerSmith Recipe Cloud: Are you on?

First post by Ziggybrew, 12 years ago

First post

---

Awesome new Site: You don't have to have BeerSmith 2.1 to create an account and enjoy. Post your user name here (if different from BIABrewer.com) to let other BIAB brewers know you have shared recipes posted. Then you can be followed. Maybe BIABrewer Administrators can create a BIAB club profile there or something.
-- just thinking and sharing

Last post

---

Maybe BIABrewer Administrators can create a BIAB club profile there or something. We are hoping that two changes will occur before we can recommend /support the cloud. These two changes are critical for proper scaling of any cloud recipe.

I mentioned these early in the cloud beta process but it is very easy for things to get over-looked. I've just sent another email through so cross your fingers. If detail is required on these, one of the existing betas should be able to clarify.

If these...

Need help from someone in the UK

First post by natept, 12 years ago

First post

---

Good day,

I'm attempting to build a beer engine using a RV handpump (BYO has an article out there). I want mine to look more authentic so I want to get a swan neck as I would also like the option to use a sparkler tip, or take it off and dispense without. The only vendor I could find in the US that sells beer engines and parts told me that he won't sell me one for this purpose and he only sells to owners of genuine beer engines :roll: .

I'm trying to figure out a way to get one from the UK -...

Last post

---

No worries. I was up to about $45.00 - $47.50 total allowing $10 for shipping so $50 is about the same.

:peace:

Yeasty

Big Boil with BobBrews? May 5th 2012

First post by BobBrews, 12 years ago

First post

---

Check out the Big Brew from my brew club! Just a bit of nonsense!

Last post

---

Nice! We our club did a big brew at a local micobrewery who did all the work, it was a golden ale.

Smoooth

First post by hashie, 12 years ago

First post

---

Oh yeah!

I couldn't decide what I wanted to drink tonight, so many choices. So decided to have a look in the cupboard to see what was there.

I chanced upon 2 bottles of Barley wine I brewed a bit over 2 years ago. lovely I says, that'll do .

And oh is it smooth :yum: age has definitely made this a great beer, shame there's only 2, no, 1 bottle left, possibly none by tomorrow :drink:

Guess I'll have to make another batch, 2 years seems so long to wait, why can't I be more organised?

Last post

---

I had my first commercial Barleywine a few weeks back, it was Bigfoot made by Sierra Nevada. I really liked the beer and would love to brew something like that.
Hashie, please post your recipe when you brew. I would love to take a look at it.

Farewell!

First post by Rifester, 12 years ago

First post

---

I have decided that I will not be particpating here at the forum any longer. It has been a pleasure to meet all of you. I am in the process of scaling back on some of my online time and wish for my account to be deleted. If an admin could take care of this I would appreciate it. Wish you all great brewing success. I will still be posting on Google + so feel free to visit me there.

Thanks,
Rifester

Last post

---

Thank you Rifester for all your excellent posts and contributions here :clap:.

Thanks also for all the hard work that you put into G+ for us and that I managed to blow up in one button push :roll:. (I wish I was a bit more savvy with that side of things as I'm still unsure what to do about the social networking side of things.)

I trust you got through the recent storms okay. Take care and thank you again.

:salute:
Pat

Your hobbies......?

First post by Gyro, 12 years ago

First post

---

Aside from brewing, what are your other hobbies?

I love paddlesports, and have a surf kayak I take out on the North Sea, and also a 15ft Canadian canoe I paddle the Norfolk Broadside with. I also occassionly make English longbows.

How about you..?

Last post

---

I teach Aikido three times a week. I suppose that's my main hobby. My motorbike has taken a back seat in the hobby steaks in recent years. Mainly since I chopped the Fireblade in for a Tiger!!! Getting older I guess.

Any Port drinkers here

First post by Kingy, 12 years ago

First post

---

I recently got a port keg for my birthday and aging some brown brothers top up tawny port. It's great to sip between home brewed beers while chugging on a wee willam cigar. It holds 20 litres. The diffence in taste even after 6 months of aging is remarkable. Anyone else here into port?

Last post

---

After a few months with my port keg I'm having a wonderful time sipping between beers. There's 2 problems I don't like however and that is 1. Angels share ( where there is slight evaporation of the keg some the apparently the port angels get) the positive is a slightly higher alcohol blend. Which is fair enough I suppose.
But the other reason is it costs a bit to upsize your pants and shorts when you go up a size in a weight department.

BIAB is growing in the US.

First post by BobBrews, 12 years ago

First post

---

Just a bit of information for your gratification. Last weekend we had a brew party at the home of a club member that has migrated to a full brewery. It was many of the same mob of brewers that I have been brewing with for years. I was the only BIAB'er within a days driving distance. I had four people brewing with BIAB last week! Most of them had bags stitched up by my better half. It was very gratifying that I was involved with the conversion.

I even had a guy using no chill with the others...

Last post

---

I feel bad about saying a negative thing about HBT. They did help me grow as a brewer. I feel bad for those guys who have invested so much in 3V. I was 3V and about to make the big jump. My brother-in-law welds really good and volunteered his time. I almost invested $3000 dollars in a big system (almost no labor included). Let's say it would be one of those $5000 setups. This was pre-BIAB knowledge. I can't even imagine rubbing it in their faces if I spouted off about my my bag hoist system for...

Just a stir

First post by Beachbum, 12 years ago

First post

---

Not denigrating the enthusiasm and dedication of home brewers of the complex technical geek persuasion - it stops them hanging around street corners in Kings Cross ... but I still can't understand a word of this post on another forum :cool: - it's somehow related to making beer.

Aren't we lucky that here on this forum we just make beer???? :thumbs:

Steve,
Looking at your schematic, I see you have pull up resistors on the buttons. Is there any reason why you did this instead of using the...

Last post

---

You guys are too much! I had a lovely time in the kings cross area (visiting churches) and admiring the architecture. You presume that as a Vietnam solider on leave I was up to no good? ....Oh?, Yeah, now I remember? I guess your right? I was up to no good! narrow street of terrace houses I do remember something like that? Funny that I actually remember more about spending a week (Down-Under) than a year in the jungle? I must be selective or why I drink?

First brewing calatog in the mail

First post by 2trout, 12 years ago

First post

---

I just received a Midwest Supplies catalog in the mail. :P Its a great way to easily see a ton of brewing stuff! I dont think that Ive ever seen a home brew catalog in the mail. Does any one else receive this?

Last post

---

Rebel Brewer gets an A+++ from me! They have very competitive pricing and shipping is affordable and super fast.

Cigars and Beer

• 1
• 2

First post by rockbotton, 12 years ago

First post

---

It is a little late here but I decided I could get a quick smoke in tonight especially since I am tring Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barleywine for the first time tonight.
I figured such a big beer would hold it's own with a mild flavored cigar. Smoking an Olivia Series G Cigarillo(4x38) since I did not have an hour for a robusto.

Are there any other cigar smokers on the board?

Last post

---

It's worth every cent, trust me.
However, being in that neck of the woods there is plenty of home-grown talent. I am a bit partial to the Gentleman Jack and Beam's Choice.

Your are right. On the history channel here they have a show about moonshiners that still operate in that area illegally.
There are folks here where I live that brew their own too.

Gentleman Jack is good. Never tried Beam's Choice. My current favorite is one called Buffalo Trace and I still enjoy Jack Daniel's Old Number...

Brewing TV featuring BIAB

First post by PistolPatch, 12 years ago

First post

---

Thanks for the heads up Sig :thumbs:.

I enjoyed watching that... I need to watch it again as I was watching whilst trying to bring my main computer to life :whistle:

I think they did a great job except that they scored a low efficiency. This would have almost certainly been due to the small bag used.

The other thing I heard was something about brew day time being increased??? What was that bit? (I probably mis-heard it :dunno:)

Last post

---

The preview for tomorrow's episode appears to show Jake brewing extract inside, Dawson BIAB outside. I liked the BIAB episode, but didn't like that the made it seem to have so many limitations. The small bag was clearly an issue. Hopefully this week (if the preview showed an accurate picture) will be better.

BIAB tasting night

First post by Cowgo, 12 years ago

First post

---

Cowbrau Heifer Weizen, bottled two weeks. Tastes amazing, I'd put it up against any commercial wheat and rate it even or higher. First time using BIAB and no chill. Combine that with obsessive/compulsive sanitation, medical grade O2 aeration and real wort starter on a stir plate overnight, ferm temp control and it's one of the best batches of beer I've brewed in 24 years of brewing.

As good as this wheat is, the Kolsch, also two weeks bottled, is even better. Smooth with a hint of fruitiness...

Last post

---

Great report Cowgo!

Congratulations to you :thumbs:

Bath Cooked Eggs

• 1
• 2

First post by BobBrews, 13 years ago

First post

---

I have just finished a brew. The sacch' rest was 147F or 63.8C for 60 minutes and a mash out of 170F 76.6C. for 10 Minutes. During this time I had placed 3 raw (unbroken) eggs in my mash. After the eggs cooled down. I ate them!

Here is the story. I read somewhere about Bath-Cooked Eggs
I soaked the eggs in StarSan for ten minutes and then basically followed the recipe below except with 3 eggs.

Time: 45 to 60 minutes
12 eggs.

1. Place a rack in a pot or deep baking pan, fill with hot water...

Last post

---

Now I'm going to have to buy me a little vacuum sealer to cook my lunch on brew days :)

Steak in 1 bag, mushrooms and butter in another with a couple of eggs in a hop sock to round it out.

I love brewing :)

BIAB Rig

First post by Rifester, 12 years ago

First post

---

I thought you might like to see this brewer's BIAB rig!

Last post

---

Awesome little rig :)

Now where was that modification someone made to a basket to allow more out-flow?

There we go :)

New addition to the brewshed

First post by Aces high, 12 years ago

First post

---

Im getting one of these 300L split solar hot water systems installed on my brewshed this week for free, so Im a little bit excited. Its a new prototype unit and they wanted to test it out in the field where it wouldn't be used every day, but would get nice and hot so I kindly offered my 6 x 9M brewshed for the test. So I will now have hot and cold running water. They're not putting a tempering valve on it, so I should be able to get water out of the tap for half of the year at about 60 degrees...

Last post

---

Nice score :)

My split solar system is stainless and has gas instantaneous boost, so the water always comes out at 60C+

Unfortunately the tempering valve knocks it back to 55C :(

Want to get a hot water tap outside near my brewing area :)

Malt Mill Roller Gap

First post by Ziggybrew, 12 years ago

First post

---

Sorry if my search skills suck but I could not find an answer yet. I just received a Barley Crusher malt mill. Since BIAB is not subject to the stuck sparge I assumed I could set those rollers closer than the factory setting. Will that make for better efficiency? What would be a good gap to tweak it to?

Thanks

Last post

---

Thanks for posting the pic Dan - nice work!

Don't be too worried about your EIK and trub losses. Just check out those other factors and the hop sock and if you get a gain, great. Your numbers are certainly in the ballpark. Can you check your pH?

Cheers,
PP

Free Beer Friday

First post by hashie, 12 years ago

First post

---

:thumbs:

I'll kick it off with free beer at my place today for Free Beer Friday, all welcome :drink:

Today we will be enjoying a beer I call Munchel Jim . I designed it loosely on a Munich Dunkel, however it is fermented with an ale yeast so it's not to style, enjoy :pray:

Amt Name Type # %/IBU
3.00 kg Munich Malt (17.73 EBC) Grain 2 57.0 %
2.00 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (5.91 EBC) Grain 3 38.0 %
0.13 kg Carafa II (811.64 EBC) Grain 4 2.5 %
0.13 kg Special B Malt (354.60 EBC) Grain 5...

Last post

---

Ahh, you can see straight through me Bob. I'm sure you are just taking your time to ensure a quality product :)

Need help finding a good recipe for Irish Red

First post by gugguson, 12 years ago

First post

---

Hello.

I have decided to brew Irish Red in my next batch. I only have access to Weyermann grains but I think substituting ingredients shouldn't be a problem.

I'm looking for a kick-ass recipe with smooth easy drinking attributes and good malt qualities. I'm not much of a hop-head, but good balanced beer is preferred. Creamy big head beer is something I'm looking for.

I have three recipes on my mind but I'm not sure what is best (and I'm also looking for other recipes):

1. Irish red from...

Last post

---

This passed my test!

P.S. (I have never had a beer NOT pass my test)!

BeerSmith releases Linux version

First post by Rifester, 12 years ago

First post

---

I am fairly comfortable with BrewTarget but I thought some of my fellow Linux users might find this interesting.

Last post

---

linux, Wine! you guys are heretics, trouble makers, nonconformist's! Oh yeah! Your BIAB'ers that fits!

Is it wrong?

First post by thughes, 12 years ago

First post

---

I brew with a mix of liquid yeasts and dry yeasts, depending upon what I'm making. I just finished up bottling a Vienna/Styrian SMaSH fermented with Safale S-04 which I do not save because it's only a couple dollars a pack. As I was cleaning out my fermenter (a 3 gallon Better Bottle) by rinsing it out and dumping down the toilet so I don't plug up the sink trap, I was overcome with a sense of melancholy......for I was unceremoniously dumping those poor yeasties down the crapper! Those guys...

Last post

---

I brew with a mix of liquid yeasts and dry yeasts, depending upon what I'm making. I just finished up bottling a Vienna/Styrian SMaSH fermented with Safale S-04 which I do not save because it's only a couple dollars a pack. As I was cleaning out my fermenter (a 3 gallon Better Bottle) by rinsing it out and dumping down the toilet so I don't plug up the sink trap, I was overcome with a sense of melancholy......for I was unceremoniously dumping those poor yeasties down the crapper! Those guys...

Beer and brewing mysteries

First post by lambert, 12 years ago

First post

---

Things I've been wondering about for quite some time (well, couple of minutes really....)

1. Why, when you measure gravity, does a hydrometer ALWAYS stop spinning with the numbers pointing away from you? And why does it keep on turning away from you if you if you turn the jar? My daughter walked into the kitchen earlier this evening, asking me why my head was behind the measuring jar, wedged underneath the wall mounted cupboard, banging against the toaster and with half my body on the kitchen...

Last post

---

Hydrometers don't bounce.

...

I've found that the best beer in a keg is normally the one just before it blows. I suspect this is caused by additional C02 scrubbing, ageing/lagering and yeast flocculation

Yes, them damn tubes... they always spin away from you... I generally just give the hydro a small tap and a tiny twist

Brewing in Extreme Weather Conditions.

• 1
• 2

First post by wizard78, 13 years ago

First post

---

Today I learnt that it isn't very much fun brewing in the garage when it's 30 odd degrees Celcius with about 1000000000% humidity! :idiot:
I reckon I lost about 5 kg in sweat :cry: :lol:
I hit my mash in temp then doughed in and managed to only drop 1 deg C :scratch: so I left the lid and sleeping bag of to try and get the temp down. Why is it when you want the temp to drop it won't and when you don't want it to it does? Like when I finally got it down to 65 C I wrapped it up then it managed...

Last post

---

I think I'll go to Aces place next time it gets hot or maybe Bob's :think:

:P